A dragline is a machine used for surface mining overburden material (e.g., rocks, soil, etc.). A typical dragline machine includes a large bucket suspended from a boom connected to a machinery house mounted on a platform. The boom is supported by suspension lines (also referred to as cables or ropes) that hold the boom at a specified angle of inclination. The suspension lines extend from a gantry (a frame bridgework over which the cables run to the boom). Hoist lines extend from the end of the boom to the bucket. The path of the bucket is controlled with the hoist lines, as well as drag lines that extend from the bucket to the machinery house. A dump line mechanism controls the dumping action by adjusting the tension of the drag lines.
In operation, a typical excavation process includes positioning the bucket above overburden material, lowering the bucket, and drawing the drag and hoist lines to scrap the bucket along the overburden material. Once the bucket is full, the operator adjusts the hoist and drag lines, swings the bucket to a dump site, and releases the drag line to empty the bucket. During the process, the suspension lines, hoist lines, and drag lines are placed in compression and tension cycles. Uncontrolled, the compression and tension cycles can have substantial oscillation amplitudes that snap lines and create vibrations leading to excessive wear on the dragline's various joints located throughout the machine. In order to help control the oscillation amplitudes, some draglines include drop lines connected to the suspension lines. However, conventional apparatuses and methods for adjusting the tension of the drop lines have proved burdensome and ineffective. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,783B2 discloses an apparatus including a boom support strand oscillation dampening mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 7,415,783B2 further discloses that the damping mechanism is located 5/12 of the way down from the top of the boom, between the center and upper sections of the boom. The dampening mechanism includes a left brace, and a right brace spaced apart from the left brace and a stretchable rope extending between the boom and each brace.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Consequently, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described in the disclosure are defined by the appended claims.